Experimental, Analytical and Numerical Study of Energy Absorption Properties of Aluminum Crush Boxes with and without Buckling Initiators (Axial Loading)

Abstract

The crashworthiness in automobile is stated as the capability of a passenger car and its interior arrangements to safe-guard occupants from harm. Whenever an accident occurs, the passengers in the car can be injured due to one of the following reasons: (1) excess acceleration force; (2) physical injury from contact with injurious surfaces, and; (3) exposed to fire, smoke, and chemicals released during accidents. Thus effective crashworthiness design must take into consideration and remove all sources of injury for given design impact limit. This involves attention to following points: (1) body shell strength, (2) satisfactory keeping control systems, (3) capability of energy attenuation systems, (4) objects that can cause injury to the occupants, and (5) after accident factors, primarily fire prevention and suitability of escape. The purpose of this paper is to experiment the extruded aluminum tube using quasi-static axial crush testing, analytical analysis and FE analysis using LS Dyna. Longitudinally located discontinuity was added to study the effect of collapse mode, load displacement characteristics and energy absorption. It was found that with the addition of discontinuity, which acts as crush initiator, improves collapse mode and energy absorption properties. FE models with and without crush initiator were mapped using the experimental outcome. A good agreement was observed when compared with experimental, analytical and FE analysis for average load.

Cite this Article

Atul Gaikwad, Kamal Ukey. Experimental, Analytical and Numerical Study of Energy Absorption Properties of Aluminum Crush Boxes with and without Buckling Initiators (Axial Loading). Journal of Automobile Engineering and Applications. 2017; 4(2): 1–9p.